Ice Skate Blade Locking Structure for Quick Release and Secure Hold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skate locking mechanisms are cumbersome, unsafe, and time-consuming, particularly for professional athletes and users wearing protective gear, and are prone to safety hazards due to the use of springs and eccentric wheels.
Innovation Solution
A locking structure with a folding locking wrench that drives a gear on a driving shaft to control a clamping member, allowing easy assembly and disassembly of skates, and incorporates a guide groove to prevent ice residue buildup, ensuring secure locking without springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strong torsion spring or high-hardness spring is used to firmly clamp the locking part, then the locking reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users cannot easily resist the strong elastic force during assembly and disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring component entirely from the locking mechanism. Instead of using a spring to provide clamping force, the invention uses a cam structure where the cam profile geometry directly provides the locking and release forces through mechanical advantage, eliminating the need for elastic elements that are difficult to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the spring-based elastic mechanical system with a cam-based geometric mechanical system. The cam profile is designed so that its shape inherently provides the necessary forces for locking and releasing, substituting the need for elastic recovery forces with geometric constraint forces.
2Strength
If metal springs or torsion springs are used for locking, then the locking strength is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to corrosion from ice residue and breakage in low temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the metal spring components that are prone to corrosion and breakage. The locking mechanism operates without any elastic metal parts, using instead a cam structure made of wear-resistant material that does not suffer from corrosion or low-temperature brittleness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter selection by using wear-resistant materials for the cam and related components, avoiding metals that are susceptible to corrosion and low-temperature breakage. This parameter change in material selection directly addresses the reliability issues in cold, wet environments.
3Ease of operation
If a folding wrench with eccentric wheel is used for quick release, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to accidental turning over during high-speed sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the eccentric wheel mechanism from the design. Instead, it uses a cam structure where the cam profile's geometry provides inherent stability and prevents accidental disengagement. The cam's shaped contact surface maintains positive engagement during high-speed sliding without the instability of eccentric wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using an eccentric wheel that can accidentally turn over, the patent inverts the approach by using a cam profile where the geometry itself provides the stabilizing constraint. The cam's shaped contact surface inherently prevents unintended movement, reversing the problem of accidental turning over.
4Reliability
If thick protective gear is worn during competition, then the safety is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because athletes cannot easily remove or adjust skates in the gap between games
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for complex multi-step locking mechanisms that require tool access. The simplified cam-based locking mechanism can be operated with one hand while wearing protective gear, allowing athletes to quickly change skates in the gap between games without removing gloves or other protective equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic locking mechanism that can be quickly transitioned between locked and unlocked states through the cam's rotational movement. This dynamic capability allows for rapid skate changes during competition gaps while athletes remain in their protective gear, adapting to the time-constrained environment of competitive skating.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a locking structure for assembling and disassembling a skate, which comprises a skate bracket connected to the sole, wherein the bottom of the skate bracket is provided with a cutter groove into which a skate is inserted, one end of the cutter groove is provided with a first clamping point capable of clamping a skate hook at one end, and one end of the cutter groove far away from the first clamping point is provided with a hook accommodating cavity into which the skate hook is inserted at the other end; the hook accommodating cavity is provided with a clamping member slidable back and forth to lock the skate hook in the hook accommodating cavity, and a driving member capable of driving the clamping member to slide back and forth in the hook accommodating cavity. The present disclosure uses a folding locking wrench provided at one side of the skate bracket to drive the gear provided on the driving shaft in the skate bracket to rotate, and pushes the rack on the guide member, so that the guide member can drive the locking hook to move back and forth along the guide groove in the hook accommodating cavity, so that the locking hook can lock a second skate hook in the hook accommodating cavity, or release the second skate hook from the hook accommodating cavity, so as to achieve the purpose of easily disassembling the skate.